Zakia Khodadadi, a para-taekwondo athlete from Afghanistan, has recently announced that she has won a bronze medal at the Brazil Open Para-Taekwondo (Rio Open G2 2025).
This morning (Thursday, June 8), Ms. Khodadadi shared a message on her Instagram account stating that she has proudly earned the bronze medal in para-taekwondo at the Brazil Open.
The Afghan para-taekwondo athlete continued by writing, “This medal is not just for me; it is for all the women of Afghanistan who stand strong despite all the hardships.”
Zakia Khodadadi added, “We may face obstacles, but we will never give up. We rise up, always.”
It is worth noting that Zakia Khodadadi was awarded the Emerging Leadership category of the International Paralympic Committee’s International Women’s Day Award 2025 earlier this year for her advocacy for women’s rights in Afghanistan, particularly the right to education and sports for girls.
Additionally, Zakia Khodadadi was the first Afghan female athlete to compete in the Tokyo 2020 Paralympic Games, earning the title of “Brave Woman” in this sporting event.
This Afghan girl has previously won a gold medal at the European Para-Taekwondo Championships, a bronze medal at the 2022 World Grand Prix, a silver medal at an international competition in Albania, and a bronze medal at the Para-Taekwondo Championships in Egypt in 2016.
